Connecter for electric circuits



April 17, 1928." 1,666,089

H. C. FOSTER CONNECTER FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS Filed July 25. 1927 INVENTOR. I l/flKR) C. Fur/m.

A TTORNEYS.

. I 10 plug.

Patented Apr. 17,1928.

.HARRY c. rosr R. or conitreasvr LE, INDlANA, ASSIGNOR r ro ta'riolv, or CONNERSVILLE, INDIANA, A ooiaronacrrort j connno'rnn t on 'ntncrrnrccinciirrs.

Application filed 171113} 25,

This invention relates to a multiple circuit socket adapted to insure positive contact for three or more mating pairs, of our- I rent conducting terminals.

sociated with a detachable complementary The chief feature of the invention consists in the addition ofa" compensating plate roc kingly' associated with a terminal platc andnormally maintainedin contact and ar-.

of the socket associated with the plug. Fig.

a '2 is a longitudinal sectional view thru the,

same. Fig. ,3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 and in the direction of thelarro'ws. Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on line H of Fig. Qand in the direction of the arrows. i In the drawings 10 indicates retainer portion of a plug'construction having the socket receivablejextension 11 an'd'the body tion current carrying wires '13 that terininate in the contact connections 14 associated witheach. of which is a contact inthe -formof a ',screw bolt 15. Herein the plug is shown provided with three current carrying'conductors13; These preferably are arranged "in spaced relation. withreference'toieach other and concentrically arranged with reference to the longitudinal axis'of the plug. The multiple socket including the inven tion includes a tubular shell 16 having a 'closedend 17 with drawn openings 18, each of which supports, a current conducting member 19. As shownin Fig. 4,"tl ie opentive to each other and areconcentrically/an L ranged with reference to thegloiigitudinal axisof the socket and herein' three are shown;

' Atermin'al plate, 2011s similarly apertured at 21 to receive the body portions 22""of, the

.The chicf object of the invention is to pro-,' vide a socket with suitable means, whereby- -three or more current carrying conductors. will be assured of positive contact when as- 'To prevent relative rotation inthe socket of each of the contacts supported thereportion 12whichsupports in insulated relain'gs 18 are arranged in spacedrelation rela-' 1927. Serial No. 208,070.

contact terminal members "23 which are adaptedto contact the heads of the screws 15. Concentric with each of-tliecurrent conducting nembers 19, which are connected-to the respective contact terminal members 22,

I nmnn LAMP. Ico "1 are the coil springs 24 and'these' scrveto I maintain thecontacts thru the terminal plate in contact relation screws 15..

with the heads the i" ofthe said current conducting members and thecontact terminals associated therewith, a retaining pla-te25 is provided which includes one or more extensions and herein I 1 '26 are shown which extend-outwardlyand; project into longitudinally extending slots 21- pair of diametricallyarranged extensions 27 andthusplate25 will permit longitudinal movement but preventrotation move-w ll ment of the terminal members. Qatbear on said plate.

The springs W'hen three or more current 'conductiiig" wires or members are employed itis necessary that some sort of compensating arg rangement be'provided to insure positive contact for or by each of thecurrent con ducting contact member terminals.

formedin theplate 25 and formed coaxially therein said spherical surface having tangential engagement with the terminal plate Th I present form of the invention s herein I shown as aportion of a spherical surface 28 20and substantially coaxial thereof. fThusl-f the two plates'have a coaxialfrocking conf v nection and by" the aforesaid arrangement positive contact is obtainable and assured members." .V;-

The plug and socket herein shown may i have any conventional type iof detachable" connection, or'any preferred type of detach- "for the three orimore current conducting able connection, he same forming no part of the present invention.

Y The invention claimed is: V p I 1. A multiple circuit socket for-three or' morercurrent conducting ;:lines including a plug receiving and detachably' supporting tubular shell, a terminal plate yieldingly mounted therein, at least three current'conducting members extendingthru the plate for plug contact terminal engagement, yieldingv means positioned .between the end of a the shell and said terminal plate, and a compensating plate having a rocking connection with the terminal plate and againstwhich a the i ieldin means bears whereb the cur- J e a rent conducting members are assured of positive plug contact.

2, A device as defined by claim 1, characterized by all of the current conducting members being arranged in spaced relation abount theshell axis and the rocking connection being coaxial with the shell axi 3. A. device as definedby claim 1, characterized by the rockingconnection between the plates including a portion of a spherical surface engageable by a tangential plane surface.

"I. A device as defined by claim 1, characterized by all of the current conducting members being arranged in spaced relation about the shell axis and the rocking connection between the plates being coaxial with the shell axis and including; a portion of a spherical surface engageable by a tangential plane surface."

5. In a multiple circuit socket, the coinbinati'on of a'terminal plate having at least eas es tlree apertures therein, a current conduct-- (3. A device as defined by claim 5, characterized byvtheaddition of an enclosing shell, and yielding means interposed between said shell and said plates for normally maintaining the samein engagement with each other and the current conducting members in plug contact engagement, said plates being movable as a unit longitudinally of said shell, and a slot and tongue connection between one of said plates and said shell for prevent.-

relative rotative movement therebetween. 7

ln witness whereof, I aifixed my signature.

HARRY I o. ros'rnn. L

have hereunto 

